Mr. Samuel Irwin Timberlake Sr.'s Obituary
Samuel Irwin Timberlake, Sr. of Dadeville, Alabama passed away on February 28, 2026 at the age of 84. Sam was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Mary Hillman Forbus Timberlake, and his brother, Cecil Howard Timberlake, Sr. He is survived by his three children, Sam Timberlake, Jr., Anne-Marie (Stokes) Jones, and John Hillman (Fen Gao); Timberlake 9 grandchildren Irwin Lee Timberlake, Nancy Hillman (Whit) Whittlesey, Joseph Walker (Lacey) Timberlake, Maria Claire Timberlake, Madison Ellis Hanscom, Merideth Erin Hanscom, Holden Stokes Jones, Hope Stanford Jones, and Jackson Gao Timberlake; and 4 great-grandchildren Clella Ann Whittelsey, Hillman Esther Whittelsey, Betsy Jane Timberlake, and Joseph Walker Timberlake, Jr..
Sam was born in Decatur, AL on May 3, 1941. He graduated from Decatur High School in 1959 and began attending Auburn University to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering. While at Auburn, he met Mary Hillman Forbus on a blind date. Sam and Mary were married in 1962. During his sophomore year at Auburn, Sam took a vocal performance course as an elective. The professors in the Music Department at Auburn convinced him to change his major from engineering to music. Sam received a Bachelor of Music in 1965 and received a Master of Music from Washington University in 1968. He was awarded the Fulbright-Hays Grant for study in Germany in 1968. Sam performed with the Metropolitan Opera between 1966-1970. In 1971, Sam went on to tour with the Bel Canto Trio and was on the roster of Columbia Artists and the New York City Opera. He recorded with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, The Parkway Network on NPR, and others. During his music career, Sam taught at Auburn University, Samford University, Huntington College, and Delta State University. In 1979, Sam moved his family to a “farm” in Dadeville and later retired there. He played with his tractors, his various dogs, and his ham radios in his later years.
Sam asked for no funeral or burial service, preferring the family to come together for a private ceremony in the spring.
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